2005 Nissan ALTIMA: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1,091 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
86,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2005 model year. Data snapshot: . 906 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Structure:Body is the most frequently named component, appearing in 295 of 1,091 complaints (27.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 178 | 16.3% |
| Braking behavior | 78 | 7.1% |
| Transmission and shifting | 66 | 6.0% |
| Steering behavior | 45 | 4.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 40 | 3.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 11 | 1.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Structure:Body | 295 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 196 |
| Engine | 141 |
| Electrical System | 77 |
| Power Train | 62 |
| Unknown Or Other | 60 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 43 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 41 |
Structure:Body: 295; Engine And Engine Cooling: 196; Engine: 141; Electrical System: 77; Power Train: 62; Unknown Or Other: 60; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 43; Vehicle Speed Control: 41
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 105 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 93 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 166 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 207 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 239 |
| 150,000 and above | 96 |
Under 25,000: 105; 25,000 to 49,999: 93; 50,000 to 74,999: 166; 75,000 to 99,999: 207; 100,000 to 149,999: 239; 150,000 and above: 96
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (239). 185 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 13 |
| 2005 | 44 |
| 2006 | 38 |
| 2007 | 36 |
| 2008 | 86 |
| 2009 | 82 |
| 2010 | 97 |
| 2011 | 65 |
| 2012 | 102 |
| 2013 | 79 |
| 2014 | 106 |
| 2015 | 159 |
| 2016 | 63 |
| 2017 | 40 |
| 2018 | 26 |
| 2019 | 23 |
| 2020 | 10 |
| 2021 | 7 |
| 2022 | 5 |
| 2023 | 6 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 | 2 |
2004: 13; 2005: 44; 2006: 38; 2007: 36; 2008: 86; 2009: 82; 2010: 97; 2011: 65; 2012: 102; 2013: 79; 2014: 106; 2015: 159; 2016: 63; 2017: 40; 2018: 26; 2019: 23; 2020: 10; 2021: 7; 2022: 5; 2023: 6; 2024: 1; 2025: 1; 2026: 2
Pattern summary
Structure:Body leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 178 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 78 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 66 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10081960 · 2004-08-12 (August 12, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH CONSUMER SLAMMED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL IN A PANIC SITUATION AND BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SKID. VEHICLE SKIDDED 15 FEET BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT TIRES HAD FLAT SPOTS BECAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT. ALSO, THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS LOCKED UP. THIS FAILURE WAS LIKELY TO RECUR IF THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED IN A PANIC SITUATION AT SPEEDS OF 35 MPH OR FASTER.*AK WHEN APPLYING VEHICLE BRAKES IN A PANIC THE TORQUE CONVERTER LOCKED UP AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER…
Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10081960 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10082606 · 2004-07-25 (July 25, 2004)
THE CAR RADIO FOR THE 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA IS DEFECTIVE. I SPOKE TO NISSAN DIRECTLY AFTER THE DEALER COULDN'T FIX IT. I WAS GIVEN CASE # 4564607 ON 6/8/04 WHEN THE CAR HAD 2,650 MILES ON IT. THEY SAID THAT NISSAN WAS REDESIGNING THE RADIO WITH ITS ENGINEERS + WOULD HAVE IT IN A MONTH. IT'S NOW 7/25/04 + I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING. I STILL HAVE A DEFECTIVE RADIO ON A BRAND NEW CAR.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 60 miles reported. Look up ODI 10082606 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10083614 · 2004-08-20 (August 20, 2004)
WHEN THE SUNLIGHT HIT THE DISPLAY ON THE DIGITAL CLOCK AND THE AUDIO DISPLAY, IT MADE IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE WHEN DRIVING. *AK *SC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 912 miles reported. Look up ODI 10083614 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10087554 · 2004-08-04 (August 4, 2004)
WHEN APPLYING VEHICLE BRAKES IN A PANIC THE TORQUE CONVERTER LOCKED UP AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER. *MR THE CONSUMER WAS UNAWARE THAT THIS WAS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10087554 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10088675 · 2004-08-27 (August 27, 2004)
I JUST PURCHASED A 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA FROM COOPER NISSAN IN EASTON, PA. PROBLEM: THE TRUNK LID IS POORLY DESIGNED AND IT WILL NOT STAY UP ON A SLOPING DRIVEWAY.*AK WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR AND OPENED THE TRUNK ON MY DRIVEWAY. THE TRUNK LID WOULD NOT STAY UP, WHEN PARKED ON MY DRIVEWAY. ABOUT A 15 DEGREE INCLINE. THE TRUNK LID HAS FALLEN ON ME SEVERAL TIMES BUT I WAS NOT CUT. I CONTACTED THE COOPER SERVICE DEPT AND THEY ORDERED NEW TORSION BARS. AFTER THEY WERE INSTALLED IT APPEARED TO WORK. ON 8/14/04 I WASHING VACUUMING OUT MY TRUNK…
Owner-reported narrative. 700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10088675 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10090434 · 2004-09-04 (September 4, 2004)
THE DOOR IS NOT ALIGN RIGHT COULD THE CENTER BEAM BE BENT? ALSO MOLDING INSIDE OF DOOR IS NOT STAYING ON THE CENTER BEAM? DEALERSHIP MARLBOROUGH NISSAN IS CONFUSED ON THE PROBLEM. ALSO PAINT PROBLEMS NICE SPIDER WEB ON THE PAINT AND PAINT PEELING ON PASSENGER MIRROW.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 959 miles reported. Look up ODI 10090434 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10090946 · 2004-09-14 (September 14, 2004)
DROVE TO THE MALL AND DROVE TO TARGET. CAME BACK TO DRIVE THE CAR AND PUT THE CAR INTO REVERSE. THE STICK WAS STIFF AND IT WAS A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO PUT INTO REVERSE. I THEN PUT THE CAR INTO FIRST GEAR WHICH AGAIN IT WAS A LITTLE DIFFICULT. WHEN I STOPPED TO ENTER INTO TRAFFIC AND PROCEEDED, THE STICK POPPED OUT OF GEAR AND I COULDN'T GET THE CAR INTO GEAR AND AN ONCOMING CAR ALMOST HIT ME. I FINALLY GOT IT TO GO INTO REVERSE AND LUCKILY NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME. AFTER TRYING TO MOVE THE STICK AROUND INTO ALL THE GEARS, SECOND GEAR AND REVERSE WER…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10090946 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10091299 · 2004-09-19 (September 19, 2004)
CORRESOPNDENCE I WILL MAIL TO YOU DESCRIBES WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE DEFECTIVE UNSAFE AND UNHEALTHY'AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM OF THE 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA. NAMELY FOR 3 AIR CONDITIONING CONTROL POSITIONS THE AIR CONDITIONING CANNOT BE SHUT OFF WITHOUT UNSAFELY STOPPING THE CAR'S ENGINE; THIS UNSAFE PROCEDURE IS ACTUALLY DOCUMENTED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10091299 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
07V527000 · Engine And Engine Cooling
Reported: 2007-11-14 (November 14, 2007)
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 2.5L ENGINE, THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR CAN OVERHEAT CAUSING A BRIEF INTERRUPTION IN THE SIGNAL OUTPUT FROM THE SENSOR.
Consequence: IF THE INTERRUPTION IN THE SIGNAL FROM THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR IS SO BRIEF THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM) LOGIC DOES NOT HAVE TIME TO DIAGNOSE THE CONDITION, THE ENGINE MAY STOP RUNNING WITHOUT WARNING WHILE THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN AT A LOW SPEED INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE ECM FREE OF CHARGE. CERTAIN MY 2006 ALTIMAS WHICH HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY REMEDIED UNDER RECALL CAMPAIGN 06V223 (NISSAN R0606) ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL SINCE THE REPROGRAMMING FOR 06V223 ALSO INCLUDED THIS REPROGRAMMING. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 31, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
NHTSA campaign record ↗